Section 15-2135. Hearings; hearing officers; determinations

Whenever  the  department  is empowered under the terms of title 21 of
  this article to make a determination it  may  hear  testimony  and  take
  proofs material for its information and may appoint a hearing officer by
  a  written  appointment,  for  that  purpose.  Every  hearing officer so
  appointed shall be authorized to  take  such  testimony  and  hear  such
  proofs  as  may  be  material  to  the inquiry and report the proofs and
  testimony so taken,  with  his  opinion  as  to  the  facts  established
  thereby,  to  the department. The department may make such determination
  from the proofs and testimony taken before it  or  before  such  hearing
  officer  or  from  any other data which shall be satisfactory to it, and
  the expenses of taking such testimony or proofs shall be deemed  a  part
  of the expense of the improvement to which it relates.